A conventional refrigerant separator and an air conditioner mounting this refrigerant separator are described by referring to the drawings.
FIG. 10 shows a heat exchanger provided in an indoor unit of a conventional air conditioner, and a refrigerant separator attached to this heat exchanger, and FIG. 11 is a partially magnified view of FIG. 10 showing the refrigerant separator. In FIG. 10, inside the indoor unit, a front heat exchanger 1001a and a rear heat exchanger 1001b are provided, and a refrigerant separator 1002 is installed between the front heat exchanger 1001a and rear heat exchanger 1001b. The refrigerant, including a gas phase and a liquid phase, flows in from the direction of arrow A in cooling operation, and is divided into the direction of arrow B and the direction of arrow C by the refrigerant separator 1002. In FIG. 11, the conventional refrigerant separator main body 11 comprises a first separation opening end 1101, a second separation opening end 1102, a partition 1103 for forming a fluid passage, and a refrigerant separation board 1104 for dividing the refrigerant entering from the first separation opening end into a second passage 1108 and a third passage 1109. The inside diameter .phi.I of the divided second passage 1108 and the inside diameter .phi.H of the third passage 1109 are the same. Flowing in from the direction A, the refrigerant fluid passes through the first passage 1107, and is divided into the second passage 1108 and third passage 1109, and flows in the direction B and direction C.
In reference to the conventional design, however, when the refrigerant fluid flows in from the first separation opening end 1101 (direction A), due to the angle of the mounting position of the refrigerant separator to the heat exchanger in the indoor unit, the fluid cannot be divided into the direction B and direction C at an optimum refrigerant separation ratio. That is, the front heat exchanger 1001a and rear heat exchanger 1001b are mutually positioned at a specified angle. Therefore, when the refrigerant separator 1002 is mounted to these heat exchangers 1001a, 1001b, and in an oblique direction, the refrigerant, including gas phase and liquid phase flowing in from the direction A in a cooling operation, is divided into the direction B and direction C. The refrigerant containing more liquid component flows in the direction C, and the refrigerant containing more gas component flows in the direction B. Hence, the fluid is not divided at an optimum refrigerant separation ratio. Accordingly, the heat exchange capability of the front heat exchanger 1001a and rear heat exchanger 1001b cannot be sufficiently exhibited, and the instability of the refrigerant separation ratio impairs the bath temperature distribution in humid conditions, possibly causing water splashes due to dew condensation, as well as condensation of dew on the fan. Moreover, since the refrigerant containing relatively higher concentration of liquid component flows in the direction C, refrigerant noise occurs (that is, the refrigerant boiling sound) during the cooling operation.
Hence, it is an object of the present invention to solve the problems of the prior art, and present a refrigerant separator capable of dividing the fluid at an optimum refrigerant separation ratio, and an air conditioner mounting such a refrigerant separator.